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My pulse quickens in my chest as I anticipate the heart-wrenching tale that’s unfolding. Deep down, I know it won’tlead to a happy ending, but I can’t help but hope for the best, particularly for Grace.
“That night, I made plans with the guys,” Max continues, his tone filled with self-reproach. “We were going to play some pool and watch movies at Devlin’s place. Usually, I was the one who picked Grace up from work.” He lets out a sigh, overwhelmed by the memory. “But that evening, she insisted that she’d be fine. She was only working at the estate apothecary, and she finished her shift before dark. It was just a half-mile walk. She insisted she’d be fine.”
Max leans back over the steering wheel, his gaze unwavering from Grace’s window. “I can’t explain it, but something didn’t feel right that night. When six o’clock rolled around, I decided to grab Ashton and go get her, just to be safe, except when we got to the apothecary, Grace wasn’t there. She wasn’t walking home, and she wasn’t at our house.”
I blink back tears, touched by the depth of Max’s love and commitment to his sister. It resonates with the bond I share with Lex.
“We called the guys, and we searched for her,” Max says, his voice heavy with sorrow. “We found her half an hour later, but it was too late.” He sits back, running a trembling hand down his face. “I won’t go into the gruesome details, but an alpha found her while she was walking home, and he didn’t take no for an answer. It’s been a decade, and I’ve spent all that time trying to find a way to help her.”
Max finally looks at me, his eyes filled with a potent mixture of despair and understanding. “I don’t know if I can ever truly fix her, but when I say I understand, I really do.”
I nod in understanding because, really, what can I say to that? No words in the universe can alleviate the weight of his feelings. When he walked into the bakery and saw us, he wasn’t angry that we were working, he was worried.
“She’s lucky to have you,” I offer genuinely.
“Is she?” he asks, his voice taking on a harder edge than a minute ago. “I should have been there for her, picked her up, and fought him off, but I wasn’t, and he got away. No one could ever figure out who hurt her. And Grace?” He glances at her window and then back to me. “Her mind shut down to protect her. It doesn’t happen often, but if an omega encounters something super horrific, they can die or their subconscious will pull in their consciousness.”
“You can’t take on the blame for someone else’s crimes,” I whisper softly, even though I understand why he feels guilty.
“No,” he concedes. “I can’t. But Grace? She was and is my responsibility.” He opens his door and steps out, his breath forming a cloud in the cold air.
I follow suit, opening my own door and coming around the truck to stand beside him, offering silent support. Taking a chance, I slide my fingers through his, feeling his warmth and channeling as much healing energy as I can into that one touch.
Max looks down at our joined hands, his gaze tortured. Moments later, he brings my hand to his lips and gently kisses my knuckles. “Come on, sugarplum.”
“What are we doing here on a Sunday?” I ask, allowing the weight of the moment to slowly recede, but it’s not gone because wounds like these take years to heal.
“I want you to see my world,” he explains, punching in a code to unlock the door. Once it clicks, he opens it for me, and a rush of warm air envelops us.
“This has been your life for a long time, hasn’t it?” I ask as I step into the long hallway, which splits in two directions—left and right. I assume the layout is much the same down here as it is upstairs, with offices along the edge and community rooms in the center for group therapy.
“It’s all I’ve known,” he answers, taking my hand again and leading me down the white hallway. “The guys are tolerant of me taking off for long periods of time to research natural medicines, but this last one took a toll on us. The twins ended up coming out to work as my personal delta security.”
“You were the job Avery spoke of,” I remark, a rueful smile playing on my lips. Everything suddenly makes sense.
“Yes,” he confirms, leading me to a door with even more security features. He lets go of my hand and punches in codes, even leaning down for a retina scan.
“How did you meet them?” I inquire as he opens the door, and the scent of bleach wafts toward me.
Max flips on the lights, and the hum of fluorescent bulbs fills the space. “The twins or Dev?”
“All of them, I guess,” I reply with a nod as I step into the room and casually shrug off my coat. My gaze sweeps around the space, revealing an unexpected sight. Instead of sterile white walls and clinical atmosphere, it feels more like a cozy reception area in a doctor’s office. The room boasts a wardrobe, a comfy couch, a small round table for meals, and a television. Across the hall, a long window and a mysterious door beckon, suggesting that the real essence of this place lies beyond.
Max, following suit, explains more about his connection to this place as he hangs our coats on a hanger. “Dev and I grew up together,” he begins, his voice carrying a nostalgic tone. “We practically went through school together, from the moment we could walk until we graduated from the alpha academy.”
“And then?” I ask, my curiosity piqued as I run a finger over the table, noticing a light film of dust.
“We went off to college,” he continues, flipping on the lights to the adjoining room, revealing a dazzling array of blue and white cabinets, computers, and various pieces of equipment that seem beyond my comprehension. “Dev was eager to delve intothe world of politics, and I, well…” He smirks, throwing his arms up dramatically. “I ended up right here.”
“What about the twins?” I inquire, my interest growing with every revelation.
Max’s tone softens as he delves into the story. “The twins were friends with Grace,” he whispers, settling on the edge of the table. “Back when our designations were still a mystery, we all attended the same elementary school. They took to Grace like she was their long-lost sibling. For the longest time, they were inseparable. It was like they were made for each other, and even after...” He trails off, running his hand along the base of his neck before meeting my gaze. “Even after they continued to visit her every single weekend.”
“Like today?” I move closer to him, eager to uncover more about his past and his connections. There’s still so much I don’t know about Maximillian Harrington, and I’m eager to explore it all.
“Exactly like today,” he confirms, his voice filled with meaning. “They’ll stop by once they are finished.”
“So what do you usually do on weekends here?” I take another step closer to him, feeling his warmth.
